TRANSCRIPT: TASMANIA TALKS INTERVIEW ON 89.3 LAFM LAUNCESTON, 30 SEPTEMBER 2020
9:06AM
E&OE
Subjects: Regional Recovery Partnerships, Coronavirus, Regional Connectivity Program;
MARTIN AGATYN
Now next week we get the Federal Budget. Of course, it’s normally handed down, I think in June, but everything’s been put out of whack because of the pandemic. And there are a few things coming up beforehand that we know are going to be in the budget, but I guess there’ll be a few surprises that we find out about next week. But to elaborate on some of the things that we are going to know before next week, the Deputy Premier (sic) Michael McCormack joins me now from Canberra. Good morning, Michael.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Good morning to you, Martin.
MARTIN AGATYN
Thanks for your time, appreciate it. We know you’re a very busy man but basically, you’re announcing today some Regional Recovery Partnerships. We know in Tasmania how the regions have been affected by the pandemic and probably a lot of other regions around Australia are much the same. So, you’re announcing today some packaging specifically for regions?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
I can happily tell you that $100 million is going into this program – the Regional Recovery Partnerships – and Tasmania is the only state where the entire Apple Isle will be covered by this program. So that whether it’s Burnie or Scottsdale or Launceston or Devonport, wherever the case might be, down south indeed, the entire state is going to be covered by this program. In other areas it’s bespoke regions or districts hard hit by bushfires or COVID or drought or whatever the case might be. But for Tasmania, for your listeners, it’s the entire state. So, there’ll be about $10 million or so. Some areas might get $8 million, some might get $12 million, but around about that $10 million mark to help in whether it’s such things as getting some destination marketing happen, whether it’s an energy and waste initiative. And look, I appreciate that $10 million for an entire state, you know, it might not go that far, but I tell you what, it’s $10 million it didn’t have pre-budget, didn’t have beforehand and I know how important this is going to be. I know Michael Ferguson, who is on the phone to me all the time, the Minister responsible for infrastructure et cetera down there I know he’ll be pleased with it. And I’ve already spoken last night to both Bridget Archer and Gavin Pearce and they have certainly welcomed it in. I know how hard Jonno Duniam works in the space of tourism as the Assistant Minister in that regard. And so, it will boost tourism. We need to get people back to Tassie. I’ve been there many, many times, but certainly one of the very first holidays I ever took with my wife of now 34 years just about, was to Tasmania. And you know, those memories are memories we share for life. And it’s a great place to visit. We want more people to visit there.
MARTIN AGATYN
Who decides or who will decide where the money’s going to be spent and what sort of projects it will be spent on? Will it be, I guess, in consultation with the State Government and councils?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Yes, absolutely, absolutely. As I say, Michael Ferguson rings me every other day. I mean, God love him, he gets in there and he fights hard for Tasmania. But, indeed I’ll be having those discussions of course, with my federal colleagues but, more broadly than that, with regional leaders, with councils. I know I have good discussions with a lot of the mayors and the local government areas down there. This Government has been pretty good to Tasmania and Tasmania is just waiting, it’s bursting with opportunity and potential. I know their agriculture with Scottsdale Dam and with other projects that we’ve invested in down there making the world of difference and will make the world of difference in the future for agriculture and that’s one of the other things that we really want to boost.
Even during drought and even during everything that’s been thrown at our regional communities, agriculture grew from $60 billion by a billion dollars. And we want to make it $100 billion by 2030. Well, we’re not going to do that unless we invest in these sorts of programs. And as part of this too, there’s $30 million for the Regional Connectivity Program and $5 million for a new resilient regional leaders initiative and I know there are plenty of people who want to have more of a voice from Tasmania. We want them to give them the opportunity to have that voice and that’s why today’s announcement totals $135 million.
MARTIN AGATYN
We think down here that the Premier’s done a fantastic job with the pandemic and the Health Department have as well and we look at other parts of Australia, in particular Victoria and see how things go when they’re not handled the way they should. And we’re probably a little bit biased because we think we’re doing okay down here, but what’s the view from the outside looking in? Does everyone look at Tasmania and say, “You’ve done a great job down there”?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Everybody is and certainly, Tasmania has. It’s lucky it’s an island. That helps it. But they’ve made some tough decisions. The time for looking and revisiting those border closures is upon us. We need to reopen the economy. We need to help our small businesses. And I know Peter is having those discussions with the health experts. We have taken the advice all the way through of the health experts, whether it’s Brendan Murphy or Paul Kelly from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee. We’ve made sure we follow that advice. Australians have been very good and we thank them. And Tasmanians have been superb in doing the social distancing, in making sure that if they needed to isolate and quarantine and do all those things, they have. And downloading the COVIDSafe app. We say again, if they haven’t already done so, please do so. It only takes you a couple of minutes and it just gives you that added protection.
MARTIN AGATYN
We’ve had a couple of new towers go up, Telstra towers on the west coast near King Island, which are fairly remote areas and while it may not seem much on the grand scheme of things, it’s very important to people in those regions. And I understand you’re going to have some funding for that as well.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
That’s a big component of these mobile towers and it is making such a difference for those people running a small business, running a farm. I mean, the GPS on tractors these days, they can sit there and do all their business over the phone and you know, on their iPad out in the shearing shed. I mean, it makes the world of difference. And they can connect to the rest of the world. They can connect with those markets. They can get that spot price when it’s at its highest. If they don’t have connectivity, they can’t avail themselves of that opportunity. So, as a regional member, as somebody who lives in the regions and has done all his life, I know the full benefit of better connectivity and I’ll always be striving hard to make sure that we make that possible.
MARTIN AGATYN
The budget next week, will it contain any tax cuts? These were promised a year or two ago. Of course, no-one knew the pandemic was coming. But is there still scope for the tax cuts to go ahead?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
The last thing I’m going to do is pre-empt Josh Frydenberg’s big moment on Tuesday. It’s his moment to shine. Normally the budget is held in May, for the first time it’s being held in October. It’s a little bit like the footy season – it’s all over the shop too, as far as dates are concerned. But rest assured it’s going to be a very, very good budget as far as jobs and infrastructure and regional communities are concerned. It is going to provide a platform so that we can recover from COVID.
We don’t have a vaccine yet – that’s hopefully not far off. When it is it will be freely available. We’ve put already down on the table $314 billion of assistance to ensure that we first of all prioritise the health outcomes as well of course, cushioning the economy from the effects of this global pandemic. We’ve done it well. Compared to other nations we’ve done it superbly, but there’s more work to be done. We thank Australians and particularly Tasmanians for what they’ve done thus far. The budget next Tuesday will contain some very good measures to help the economy and the country through this pandemic.
MARTIN AGATYN
I think it’s going to be one of the most critical budgets in Australian history, which is why it will be followed with a lot of interest but, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, thanks for your time this morning.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Thanks, Martin. All the very best.
ENDS 9:13AM